Tuition rises, students fight back

With banks collapsing and the economy in a state of ruin, colleges around the country are not making it any easier for their students to attend at such a difficult time. In fact, tuition is rising all around the country. In state colleges alone, the average increase in tuition is 6.4 percent. (mcclatchydc.com)

Public universities in Iowa will be increasing their tuition by 4.2 percent. Pennsylvania will be cutting $15 million from its $338 million appropriation for Penn State University. As U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to be funded, and the banks receive a trillion-dollar bailout, the results for working-class students have been tuition increases and cutbacks in the quality of their educational experience. (gazetteonline.com)

The socialist youth organization Fight Imperialism, Stand Together is calling for free education for all. “If this can be done in other countries around the world, it can be done here,” said one FIST member. A mass campaign is being prepared to fight toward making the government spend its money on education, health care and human needs, rather than on unjust wars and bailouts for the rich.

As students writhe in anger at the increasing injustice of their tuition bills, it is unavoidable that many will join in the fight against the system which perpetuates this injustice—capitalism.